Guess which Halloween candies have the most calories?

And now for something truly terrifying

Yeah, I wish my winter looked like this

Would you try magnetic nail polish?

Do you know you’re dating the wrong guy?

Rachel Bilson just always looks sooo cool

Dallas rapist is targeting sorority girls

Why do I know so much about their sex lives??

God Tony Romo, why do you always have to one up Jess!?

Ever have one of those days where you were supposed to make an appearance at the gym but got caught up in a marathon study session and platefuls of tater tots instead? Yeah, me too. It’s called Saturday. But don’t beat yourself up about those less active days; compensate for them!

There are a lot of simple changes you can make in your life that will not only undo those lazy days, but really make a difference in your overall health and fitness. If you can do at least one per day, I guarantee that you’ll be making a positive change in your lifestyle. You ready for the easiest health advice of your life?

1. Take the stairs
Studies have shown that taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator will burn 2 times more calories. That makes sense, since taking the latter means just standing there and awkwardly not talking to the other people just standing there. Even if it’s just a few stories up to your next class, make the effort to walk there. If you don’t want to make the 6-story trek to your biology class, then start by taking the stairs down.  Any little effort makes a huge difference.

2. Replace your sweet chocolate craving with your favorite fruit
What’s stopping you from eating fruits? Most likely, the fact that you don’t have any around. Always keep a nice stash of healthy food in your fridge, just in case a snack attack pops in. It’s much healthier and you’ll feel a lot less guilty after you chow down. Now, I’m not telling you that an apple is going to satisfy you when all you want is a brownie, but I am saying that getting some fruit while you’re also getting some sweets will do your body good. For example, craving some major chocolate? Try fresh strawberries with a small drizzle of Nutella. You’ll fulfill that chocolate craving and secretly geta nice dose of Vitamin C!

3. Try holding your utensils with your non-dominant hand
As a right-handed person, holding a fork in my left hand forces me to eat slower because I’m not used to it. Since our bodies take about 20 minutes to digest food and realize its full, eating slower prevents us from overeating and indulging in extra calories. It may feel odd at first, but give it a go – it works!

4. Standing instead of sitting
If you’re one to take public transportation, you may feel like you just found the Golden Ticket when a seat finally opens up on the bus. Try changing your mindset and stand up instead. You can burn up to 10-15 more calories per hour because you’re constantly engaging your core muscles to stabilize yourself. Want extra points? Don’t grab onto anything and ride the bus waves!

5. Doing calf raises while waiting in line
Instead of standing idly while waiting for the front desk lady to hand you your transcript or the mail room guy to find that package of cookies your mom sent you for finals, try some nice and easy calf raises. These don’t attract as much attention and strange looks as lunges (trust me), but it’s still a great way to keep moving, burn calories, and tone your legs.

Yes, it is possible to love J. Biebs TOO MUCH

8 reasons I wish I could afford Anthropologie

A week’s worth of calories in one sitting

Could you date someone who had sex with a hooker

The 50 best cities for love

Hahaha for recasting all movies with gnomes

Had no idea Olivia Wilde was married to an Italian prince

Xtina probably shouldn’t have pregamed…

There’s no way this is true, right?

Men dish on painful sex

It’s a new year, and you know what that means; it’s time to start working on those New Year’s resolutions. But before you start jotting down those promises take a minute and really think about this. New Year’s resolutions almost always involve giving something up, and making sacrifices. And that negative approach makes you all the less likely to keep them. Not fun  and definitely not productive. So instead, I’m offering you something a little bit different. Ten New Year’s resolutions that are actually attainable.

And even better, ten New Year’s resolutions you’ll actually want to keep.

10. Be more organized. In order to make any of your other way more interesting New Year’s resolutions happen you should probably commit to this one. Get a planner, or if you prefer, use a Google calendar, or your BlackBerry. (Or I’m sure there’s and iPhone app for that.) Keep track of dates. Make lists. Write down your goals. If you know what you want it’s so much easier to make it happen.

9. Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Everyone has a bucket list, something they’ve always wanted to do but have never had the time, the nerve or the money. This year, make it your resolution to make it happen. Get a tattoo. Learn to speak French. Have sex in the stacks. Whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do, make it happen.

8. Enjoy your family and your friends. We college girls live pretty busy lives, and that makes it difficult to stay in touch with people, even some of the people that matter most. This year, try not to let that happen. Make an effort to do more than just Facebook comment. If being in the same pace at the same time isn’t an option, try a Skype session. Or something they use to do way back when – a phone call.

7. Step outside of your comfort zone. I’ve already told you to do something you’ve always wanted to do. Now I’m telling you to do something you’d never thought you’d do. Grab a friend and go sky diving, or you know, skip a class if that’s more on your level. Just do something different.

6. Make healthier choices. Every year women makes resolution after resolution about losing weight, cutting out the carbs, and exercising every single day. But crash diets don’t work, and denying yourself something only makes you want it more. That doesn’t mean you should live off of Cherry Garcia and Raman noodles either, though. So start small. Exercise three times a week. Switch to whole wheat breads. Limit your ice cream intake to one night a week. Just make simple, healthier choices.

5. Stop counting calories. So now that you’re making healthier choices, one of the best resolutions you can make is to stop counting calories. It’s tedious and impossible to keep up with and takes all the enjoyment out of going for drinks or eating out. So stop with the calorie counting. You’re making healthier choices and that’s the more important thing.

4. Find some fabulous female role models. Nothing against, LiLo and co. but most of the women that are in the spotlight these days aren’t exactly role models. So start searching. Find some old school actress, some kickass women in the political sector, some awesome business women. Or even someone you already know. (Hi, Mom.) Get inspired by their accomplishments and set your own goals to work towards.

3. Splurge on something extravagant. Well, maybe not so much splurge, but rather save up for it. Instead of spending that hard earned money or that quickly pocketed holiday cash on little things, save it up for something substantial. Then, three months, six months, nine months, or even a year from now you’ll have the money saved when you really, really want something. Like those cute boots, that new i-Pod, or if you’re really ambitious, that new laptop. So save first, and then splurge.

2. Focus on you. A little shallow? Maybe. But also just a little bit necessary, and completely attainable. Stop the distraction and make sure you indulge in a little me time every now and then. Go for a manicure. Take a bubble bath. Shut off your cell phone for an hour. Everyone needs a little time to recharge. And after some rest and relaxation it will make it so much easier to focus on everything else that needs to be done.

1. Enjoy yourself. All the time. Alright, so the “all the time” part might not really be all that attainable. (I mean, you can’t exactly be expected to enjoy yourself during a three hour lecture.) But you should try to enjoy yourself whenever you can it. Be a little irresponsible. Do things you probably shouldn’t because you’re in college and you can. It will be over before you know it (Spoken as a second semester senior.), so enjoy it while you can.

What are your resolutions this year?

That's going straight to your thighs, ladies.

Ah, Thanksgiving. A time to seriously over-indulge in some delish foods without feeling like a total piggy. A time to eat until you can’t button your pants anymore. A time when the leftovers are better than the original.

But hold on a second – have you ever stopped to think about how many calories you’re ACTUALLY consuming? Between the piles of mashed potatoes and second helpings of pumpkin pie, you are most likely taking in enough calories to last you a week.

Yes, it’s true, Thanksgiving can definitely be a time when you can cut loose and not worry about your diet and exercise regiment, but do you really want to totally sabotage that healthy diet?

If you answered yes to that question, stop reading now and go indulge in a few plates of stuffing for me. Everyone says ignorance is bliss and that couldn’t be truer than at Thanksgiving dinner.

If you answered no, here’s a list of the average amount of calories in some of our favorite holiday dishes. Read it, learn it, know it, then choose wisely

Turkey: Thankfully, the centerpiece to any Thanksgiving dinner is also one of the healthiest parts – before you add that delicious gravy, that is. Four ounces of white meat is only about 180 calories, but if you go for dark meat, 4 ounces goes up at 323 calories. And with gravy, it can be as much as 350 calories. (And remember, most of us eat a lot more than 4 ounces, so these numbers obviously vary.)

Stuffing: My favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, I usually take 2 or 3 giant scoops of this stuff. Or at least I did, before I realized that the average stuffing recipe has 165-190 calories per half cup. That means I’m probably taking in 600 calories in stuffing ALONE.

Cranberry Sauce: It’s cranberries! It’s fruit! It must be healthy, right? Wrong. That jellied Thanksgiving staple will set you back about 110 calories for 1/4 cup.

Buttery Biscuits: Rolls or biscuits are always yummy, especially when you top ‘em off with some melty butter. They’re also small, so eating two or three is never very difficult. But these little guys can be up to 250 calories for just ONE – and that’s without the butter added on top.

Sweet Potatoes (with marshmallows): Sweet potatoes are always touted for their health benefits, but all that goes out the window when you cook them in butter and throw marshmallows and brown sugar on top. Add all that and a small serving can have over 300 calories! Imagine what a Thanksgiving-size serving will do to your waistline.

Mashed Potatoes: It is obviously completely necessary to have a variety of potatoes on the table during Thanksgiving, and creamy, fluffy, mashed potatoes are too good to pass up. But they’re also usually made with tons of butter, leaving the calorie count around 200 for one small cup.

Creamed Spinach: The presence of a leafy green vegetable may make you feel a little less guilty about all of the food you’ve been stuffing in your mouth all day but, uh, it kind of shouldn’t. Yes, spinach itself is a super healthy food, but once you consider that this way it’s made with heavy cream and a good amount of butter, it changes things. It can be up to 140 calories for a small serving.

Pumpkin Pie: One of the best holiday desserts ever is also surprisingly one of the healthier holiday desserts. While it’s still fattening, delicious pumpkin pie boasts a decently low calorie count (well, compared to other desserts that is). For 1/8 of a pie, it’s about 316 calories.

Apple Pie: I wish apple pie was as good for you as it sounds. But it’s just not. An 1/8 of a pie will set you back about 411 calories. All of that sugar adds up, ladies.

Pecan Pie: Pecan pie is sugary, sweet, and totally addicting – so of course, it’s one of the most fattening desserts you can eat. For an 1/8 of a pie, it can be up to 500 calories. Ouch. Consider that when you’re standing in front of the fridge at midnight.

Thank you so much for your concern about my supposed “drunkorexia,” which is apparently the deliberate decision to eat less food on days destined for drunken debauchery. Though this is not an official medical term, it has been noted in Colorado as a recent “growing trend” among college women. However, let me assure you, drunkorexia is not actually real, and the things that appear similar to the nonexistent disorder may actually be conscious dieting choices among university realities.

Any college student’s diet is abnormal and worthy of attention on its own. Our campuses are equipped to fight our appetites with buffet-style dining halls filled with low-quality options, and our kitchens are stocked with frozen pizzas, chips and Cup of Noodles, each drenched in unhealthy preservatives and way too much salt. Our meal times are tightly squeezed into our schedule among study sessions, work shifts, volunteer programs and internship hours – meaning we chow down while running out of our apartments and we treat ourselves to late-night breaks in the middle of all-nighters. It may not be an ideal routine for our waistline, but it works out well for our resumés, academic transcripts and graduate school applications.

With that said, extending our workouts and skipping meals may not be our best bets, but announcing, “I’m drinking, therefore I don’t want to eat so much, so I’m going to have a mixed green salad and a Diet Coke,” seems like a sign of sensible maturity. In a nation expanding quickly with actual medical concerns such as obesity and diabetes, maybe a couple calorie swaps – whether we plan to drink or otherwise – are a good idea!

It is true, there are college women – and people in general – who are seriously battling eating disorders and/or abusing substances. However, anorexia nervosa and bulimia are commonly related to a distorted self-image or fear of losing control, while alcoholism is characterized as its uncontrolled consumption and often inspired by personal reasons. These are both serious conditions, related in some cases, but those who are skimping snacks solely to stay under the recommended daily caloric intake after a few shots should not be diagnosed the same. Or with made-up medical terms like drunkorexia. It isn’t fair for those students who actually need the medical attention, and it’s simply annoying to those who don’t.

We’re in college, we’re going to drink, so we might as well be logical and somewhat healthier about it. This isn’t a problem so much as it’s a solution. Come on!

And to the UNC students who keep “seeing their friends drink on an empty stomach, binge on ‘drunk food’…then feel guilty and vomit” – that is not drunk food, that’s affordable food on a college budget that your friend is eating because she only had a bowl of lettuce for dinner and now, 6 hours later, she’s hungry. Plus, people don’t throw up because they feel guilty, it’s because they’re drunk/hungover. So be a friend, hold her hair back, and buy her dinner next time – there’s probably a better chance she’s saving her money instead of her calories for alcohol!

Thank You,
Ashley

I am destined to be big-boned

1. Do not skip meals.

Sleeping through breakfast seems like the easiest way to cut calories and lose weight, right? Wrong! In high school, I did just that. I also decided to spend my lunch period most days talking instead of eating. I would never put food in my body until 3PM, and I wouldn’t stop eating until around 10PM. I justified my grazing by saying, “Hey, I haven’t eaten all day, after all!” By the time my body got fed, it had no idea what to do with so much disgusting, unhealthy food. The pounds finally started to budge when I put my body on a system. Eat something wholesome (oatmeal, whole-grain toast, an egg) as soon as you wake up. Give your stomach something to work on all day. Our tummies love consistency, so don’t forget lunch and dinner, either!

2. EAT your calories.

Even on days when you don’t think you’re eating much, you might be loading up on “blind calories” — calories you don’t even realize — just by what you drink. Anything other than water, black coffee, or plain tea is a weight conscious gal’s worst nightmare. While sports drinks and mineral water may be alluring, the sugar and additives are sure to sidetrack your best intentions. It’s the common misconception that fruit juices are must-have staples to a diet. The truth is, you are getting loads of sugar from the fruit itself (even if it’s unsweetened juice, check out the grams of natural sugar) and none of the fiber. Don’t have a glass of orange juice – eat an orange. Same goes for apple juice or cranberry juice or…, well, you get the idea. In general, allotting your calories for food rather than beverages will leave you much more satisfied.

3. Go do something!

I used to think that walking around the hallways to get to class was sufficient exercise for me. Like me, you may be stunned when you realize that your exercise isn’t as effective as you think it is. It also didn’t help that once I came home from school, I tended to spend hours and hours on youtube loaf around all night. The more often you can get your heart rate up, the better off you will be. Can’t commit to a strenuous gym regiment? Don’t despair. The most successful exercise is what can be incorporated into your daily life. In other words, park farther away, take the stairs, grab the bike instead of your car. Trade one TV program for a half-hour walk a day. You’ll be surprised at how gratifying it is. (And there’s always Tivo, after all).

4. Embrace veggies.

Growing up, I never never, ever ate vegetables. Mashed potatoes and corn on the cob was about as close as I came. Today, I can’t get enough of them, and I actually crave them. I love a huge plate of wilted spinach with a touch of sea salt, pepper, and olive oil as a base for my meat or grains. 50 calories for a cup of spinach keeps me way more satisfied than a small McDonald’s french fry order (230 calories) ever did. And I’ve never felt more alive since making veggies the bulk of my meals. I smile and run more than ever. That alone is worth it to me.

Don’t despair about weight loss. Just listen to your body. It can tell you more than any dieting book can. Being the person you’ve always dreamed of being is far from impossible for anyone. The former big-boned blob has spoken.

Try incorporating any of these five foods into your diet and you will see and feel the positive health benefits. Seems daunting? I’ve even included some ways to sneak these foods into your everyday meals, so now you’ve got no excuses not to get healthy.

1. Fruit: Raspberries
These cute lil’ red things are a great source of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. As translation, eating just a cup of berries a day will reduce cholesterol levels, maintain organ balance, and improve your immune system. In fact, studies have shown that these great tasting berries even diminish risks for cancer. Snack on them in between classes, top them on your breakfast parfaits, or cool down in the summer heat with a raspberry-peach smoothie!

2. Nuts: Raw Almonds
Yes, that says RAW. That means no added sugar, salt, “honey-roasted”, or “dipped in chocolate”. If you snack on 20-23 of these organic nuts, you can be guaranteed some heart-healthy fats, 6 grams of protein, and over 35% of your daily need of Vitamin E. Okay, so “raw” and “nuts” doesn’t sound tempting for your belly? Slather some almond-rich, homemade beauty products on your face! Almonds have been proven to create an awesome complexion and soft skin.

3. Vegetable: Broccoli
Personally, I absolutely love broccoli. Not only does it taste good, but it can also be added to any dish! Put it in pasta, salad, soup; have it sautéed, broiled, eaten raw. Whatever you do, it’s a guaranteed yum. Imagine my great surprise when I learned that this super food was rich in fiber for a healthy digestive system, and abundant with calcium for my bones that endure so much shock from my daily runs. Oh and get this: adding this green healing machine to your diet may even reduce risks of Alzheimer’s. So don’t forget it!

4. Grain: Brown Rice
This replacement for white long grain rice may be difficult to adjust to at first, but the benefits are amazing. Brown rice contains a great source of manganese and magnesium, which can reduce the severity of headaches and migraines (goodbye boy drama!). In fact, studies have shown that when you replace white rice with the brown alternative, you lower not only your blood pressure, but your risk for atherosclerosis, too. Yay for long, healthy lives.

5. Fish: Salmon
Salmon is great because it has low mercury levels (if that’s what you were worried about), few calories (only 127 calories for 3 ounces), and good levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (necessary for proper brain development, and more). Bake it, grill it, eat with the above brown rice, make Salmon burgers, put it on top of your sushi…the possibilities are endless.

Let me know what your other favorite super foods are. Better yet, share some of your favorite recipes with me! Body blog cook off, anyone?

Ladies, in honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, it’s time to ask ourselves, “Do I?” and “Am I?” It’s about looking at our own lives, and figuring out what’s healthy and what’s not.

So, ask yourselves “Do I…”

“Weigh myself every day?”

You are not a number! Letting numbers on a scale determine how you feel about yourself is dumb, but also lets your weight control you. The scale doesn’t know you. It doesn’t see what an amazing athlete you are, what great hair you have, how cute your butt looks in booty shorts, or how much your boyfriend drools over your smile (and boobs). The scale is a number. Which means it’s akin to math and science (EWWW). The scale doesn’t say anything about who you are on the inside. They weigh you when you’re at the doctor’s office anyway, so let your doctor tell you if you’re at a healthy weight or not.

“Skip meals?

Soooo many things wrong with this one! For one thing, skipping meals SLOWS down your metabolism. It will also just make you more hungry later! Your BRAIN needs fuel every 2 to 4 hours throughout the day to stay alive! (at night your body takes care of this, so that you can sleep). Skipping meals also makes you fatigued, and makes paying attention in lecture even harder than normal. Oh and here’s a fun fact: 95% of dieters regain their lost weight in one to five years! Eating when you are hungry, choosing nutritious and balanced options, having your favorite treats sometimes, and exercising because it feels good and is good for you, are the ONLY ways to stay at a healthy weight for your body, naturally.

“Count calories or fat grams every day?”

There was a time in my life when I was counting calories. Do you know how hard it is to figure out how many calories are in 4 red cups of beer, 2 jungle juices and 3 half shots? PLUS chaser? Yeah, waste of time AND energy AND an unhealthy state of mind to be in (the calorie counting, and the hangover). Yes, it is wise to check the nutrition labels on what food you’re eating when possible. Serving size is super important to be aware of, as is the amount of fat, sugar, and vitamins that you’re getting from your food choices. But when this become a problem is when you feel nervous or anxious about eating something until you know exactly how many calories or fat grams it contains. It’s feeling antsy until you can count how many calories you had that day. These habits may be moving you closer to a destructive and dangerous eating disorder!

Our bodies need ENERGY to function! Oh and fat? Fat isn’t bad! Our bodies need approximately 20-30% of your calories from fat every day! When possible, try to make your fats healthy fats, like monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and almonds.

“Exercise because I feel like I have to?”

There’s a difference between dragging yourself to the gym because you know it’s good for your body, and dragging yourself to the gym because you feel a nervous compulsion to work out. Working out is great for your body and mind!! In the immortal words of Elle Woods, “Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t.” But when your reason for exercising crosses over from knowing that its good for you to feeling like the world will end if you don’t, then we have a problem. When you start skipping spending time with friends, or are always on your way to or from the gym, or feel like your compulsion to exercise is taking over your life, there may be a problem.

“Am I on my way to an eating disorder?”

If any of these above statements sounded like you, please seek help! Eating disorders are SERIOUS mental disorders that can take over your life and health. Think of all the extra time you’d have, and how much happier you’d be, if you weren’t constantly obsessing over every morsel of food that you put in your mouth, or when your next workout is going to be, or how many calories you burned on the elliptical. College can be one of the most fun and enlightening times in our lives – don’t ruin it by isolating yourself with your unhealthy habits. Have fun, be healthy, live life!

Even if none of the above statements apply to you, think about what you can do each day to improve your own, and your friends’, body images. Challenge the diet industry and media. Say no to discussions about weight, shape, or diets!

And remember, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

It's time to try something new. And that includes wearing an actual shirt to the gym.

If magazines like Women’s Health or Fitness are considered a part of your required monthly reading (or, really, as long as you haven’t been living under a rock), you have probably learned that switching up your workout routine is vital. In addition to being a surefire way to speed up weight  loss by ensuring that you’ll burn more calories, varying the things you do at the gym will ensure that your body is up for any challenge.

Now, if only I had listened…

Last week, I returned home from school for the long-awaited Christmas break and was informed by my mom that I would be accompanying her to her training session. She works out once a week with a nice (and semi-attractive) man who seems to be pretty un-intimidating, and seeing that she is a 52-year-old mom and I’m a 22-year-old rock star in pretty good shape, I figured that it would be a piece of cake. I can run on the treadmill, right? I can do bicep curls with ten pound weights! Bring it on!

Instead, I was forced to endure pull ups (I cannot do these), lunge and squat around the entire room while carrying crazy weighted sticks, lie down on that squeaky medicine ball while doing sit ups, fling around little black weights that looked like cowbells and bruised the inside of my wrists, and lower myself into numerous machines while I pushed and pulled and panted until I could barely breathe. Meanwhile, my mom was just humming to herself and completing her tasks without a word.

Five days later, I can still barely move. When I lift my arms to put my hair in a ponytail, shooting pains soar through my shoulders. Every time I sit down in a chair, my thighs burn. My shoulder blades ache when they press up against the seat of the car. And every time I take a step, I have to hunch over a little bit to ease the pain resulting in a Hunchback of Notre Dame-esque stride that I know must be pretty unattractive. My parents, my friends and my boyfriend are going to kill me if I complain of soreness another time, and I might just lose it if I still have to roll out of bed like a toddler just learning to walk tomorrow morning.

Now, I don’t need Shape to tell me that what I thought was a pretty legit exercise routine – my usual 45-minute run on the treadmill or stride on the elliptical – wasn’t really enough. I wasn’t lifting enough weights (so my strength was suffering), I wasn’t doing enough core work or improving my flexibility (since I kind of hate sit ups and never take Pilates or Yoga classes), and I wasn’t switching up my cardio.

While getting 45 minutes of exercise in each day is good, that alone will not get the job done. Variety is important. And that means variety within your cardio workout – like interval training – and variety in the types of workouts you do – like weight training, core training and flexibility. In order to burn the most calories and see the greatest results from your exercise routine, you must train your entire body, and you really gotta spice those workouts up in the process. Otherwise your body will get used to your routine and it won’t have to work as hard to complete it. Which means, over time, that 45 minutes on the elliptical will burn less calories. And still be just as boring.

As we sit on the cusp of a new year, it’s time to think about what you want to look and feel like in 2010. I don’t know about you, but I know for a fact that I don’t want to feel the pain of getting out of bed. Or sitting in a chair. Or brushing my hair. And I wouldn’t mind getting a little stronger and leaner.

Basically, I’m ready to make some major changes in my routine and you should, too. Sign up for some weight training classes on campus. Seek out a Pilates studio and build up that core. If you’re an elliptical rat, get on a treadmill and start running. Not only will these small changes make your workouts more interesting and effective, but your new strength will increase your endurance, making you able to get even better workouts in down the road.

It’s a win/win. Unlike my current situation, which is a pain/more pain.